Windows 11 Users Still Have a Path to Local Account Installation – For Now
Microsoft is increasingly pushing users towards Microsoft account logins during Windows 11 setup,but a legitimate method for creating a local account remains available for specific editions. For months, workarounds shared by users to bypass the mandatory Microsoft account login during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) have been systematically disabled. The command bypassnro, popular among those seeking offline installation, was rendered ineffective by update KB5053658 on internet-connected devices (requiring users to disconnect from the network beforehand). More recently, the start ms-cxh:localonly command, which directly initiated local account creation, was blocked in test versions of Windows 11 25H2.
Microsoft claims these changes are intended to ensure “critical” configuration steps aren’t skipped.However, the effect is a important reduction in user configuration freedom, making a Microsoft account almost essential for completing installation. Local profiles,once standard,are rapidly becoming the exception.
Despite these restrictions, YouTuber thiojoe has demonstrated a fully supported method for creating a local profile without an internet connection. This option is currently available to users running Windows 11 Pro, Business, or Education editions.
This represents the last officially supported avenue for users who prefer not to link their Windows 11 installation to a Microsoft account.
